People live healthy lives with economic opportunity to increase self-sufficiency

People are engaged and active in building opportunities in community – ownership and pride in their communities

Community- Wide Data Initiative

Community Council is teaming up with UTD’s Institute for Urban Policy Research, the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation, and the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation to develop a community facing data platform that helps organizations access data and tools they need to fight poverty in our communities.

Over the next several weeks, the team will be holding listening sessions and focus groups with community based organizations, local government, and other key stakeholders to learn what the data platform must do to help transition families and households out of poverty in Dallas County. Needs for data and tools vary between organizations and your participation will help ensure that our team is thinking about and prepared to address as many needs as possible.

Did you attend one of the sessions? We would love to hear your feedback. Click below to take the survey.

BRIDGING THE GAP FROM POVERTY TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Community Council is working with community partners to change lives and lead change for low-income people bridging the gap from poverty to self-sufficiency.

Skill Quest | Economic Mobility

Skill Quest is a program based at Community Council, under a two-year incubation agreement. As part of Community Council’s incubation program, Skill Quest is receiving office space, financial support and management oversight. Skill Quest is one of the transition out of poverty sub-grantees. Skill Quest provides middle skill training assistance for students attending Dallas Community Colleges or Collin College.

The goal of Skill Quest is to create a ladder for low to moderate income adults living in Dallas, Collin and contiguous counties to jobs paying a living wage with benefits and a career path, while providing employers with a highly skilled workforce ready to work. Launched in 2012, Skill Quest completed and placed 224 participants in jobs, from inception through July 2017.

Upon acceptance, Skill Quest counselors work with participants to develop individualized plans to address the barriers they may encounter. The individualized plan begins with academic and financial Skill Quest services that include three program elements:

Middle-skill training assistance (including costs for tuition and textbooks ) while participants are enrolled community college

Individual coaching and wrap around services by the counseling staff ensures completion of courses and consistent follow-up with graduates after job placement.

Transitioning Individuals Out of Poverty (TOP)

As part of the CSBG Economic Mobility is targeting assistance to unemployed individuals who are living below the poverty of 125% household income. This includes at-risk youth, public housing residents, disabled, formerly incarcerated, young adults, single moms and elderly.Community Council Non-Profit Sub-Grantees Focused on TOPThese nonprofit organizations are working with Community Council to ensure individuals and families with low incomes are stable and achieve security include:

T.O.R.I

Open Arms dba Bryan’s House

Wings

Dallas Leadership Foundation

Wilkinson Center

Oak Cliff Works

Jubilee Park Community Center

Education Open Doors

Achieve

Mayor Task Force on Poverty

Anthem Strong Families / Serve West Dallas

Child Care Group

2018 Community Needs Assessment for Dallas County

On May 30, 2018 Community Council released the 2018 Community Needs Assessment (CNA) for Dallas County. The Community Needs Assessment will help the Community Council determine what programs and services are most needed in Dallas County. It will also guide the development of the agency’s strategic plan, goals, and outcomes. The 2018 CNA for Dallas County was produced in collaboration with: